AI jobs: UK employers offer salary premiums for ChatGPT skills and AI training on CV amid industry boom

UK employers are offering to pay a 14% higher wage for positions demanding AI expertise amid rapid growth in the industry, according to recent data.

PwC's first global AI job barometer has revealed a continued uptick in job listings requiring AI proficiency, reflecting employers' eagerness to capitalise on the rapidly evolving technology.

Analysing half a billion job postings across 15 countries, the report revealed that in the UK, job postings requiring AI skills, such as for machine learning, have grown 3.6 times faster than other roles.

In 2012, only three out of 1,000 UK job postings sought AI skills; by 2023, this figure had risen to nine out of 1,000 jobs.

This growth also slightly outpaced the global increase in AI job openings, according to PwC, which also found that sectors recently embracing AI skills showed notable improvements in productivity rates.

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While there's understandable concern about AI and generative tools displacing traditional jobs, it also has the potential to create new opportunities, drive innovation and ultimately contribute to economic growth.

Barret Kupelian, chief economist at PwC UK, said: “Our findings show that AI has the power to create new industries, transform the jobs market and potentially push up productivity growth rates.

“In terms of the economic impact, we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg – currently our findings suggest that the adoption of AI is concentrated in a few sectors of the economy, but once the technology improves and diffuses across other sectors of the economy, the future potential could be transformative.”

Jobs that may initially appear vulnerable to automation can adapt and evolve as AI technologies are integrated into various sectors, and as AI becomes increasingly prevalent across industries, the demand for individuals with AI skills rises.

This demand extends beyond traditional tech roles to encompass a wide range of professions, from healthcare and finance to marketing and manufacturing.

The report also highlighted that jobs requiring AI specialist skills have the opportunity for higher earnings, with a 14% average wage premium in the UK. It highlighted that job adverts for lawyers with AI skills typically had a 27% wage premium.

AI skills are most strongly valued by employers in the US, where there is an average premium of 25% for those with AI skills.

Kupelian added: “Countries and sectors that have a high demand for AI skills tend to see higher wage premiums, especially if there is a scarcity of skilled professionals, whereas in areas where there is a more abundant supply of AI talent, lower premiums are more likely.

“Although on the surface lower wage premiums may sound less favourable, all else being equal, they suggest a balance between labour supply and demand, and could potentially foster greater AI adoption and innovation over the long term.”